Overview & Reviews

Volkswagen is an automaker based in Germany. Its products typically command a higher price than those of competing models, but the return is a more upscale driving and ownership experience.

In 1934, Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned to build a small, inexpensive car at the request of Adolph Hitler. His answer -- a beetle-shaped sedan that was called a Volkswagen (German for "people's car") -- debuted two years later. Hitler had a town built near the plant for factory workers; he named it Kraft durch Freude Stadt (derived from the Nazi party's motto, "Joy through Strength"), and soon decided that Porsche's creation should be named the KdF-wagen (short for the "Joy through Strength" car). This upset Porsche, who was not political.

World War II delayed production of the vehicle; the factory suffered extensive damage during combat, and was ultimately taken over by the British Army. The company was renamed Volkswagen, and the town at the factory was renamed Wolfsburg (after Werner von Schulenberg of Wolfsburg, who had been forced to surrender his land for the construction of the town and factory). By the end of the 1940s, mass production of the Volkswagen Beetle had begun. The model made its first appearance on U.S. shores in 1949.

The 1950s saw Volkswagen broadening its product range, adding the Bus (Type 2) to its lineup. The Bus, especially, proved quite popular due to its versatility. And the Beetle, which went on to become the best-selling car of all time, quickly showed signs of being an enduring favorite, with more than 1 million models produced at the Wolfsburg factory by 1955. This decade also saw the debut of the Karmann Ghia sports car, which featured a sleek, Italian-designed two-seater body atop a Beetle platform.

Volkswagen's star rose during the 1960s, its success fueled largely by the breakout success of the Beetle. The car benefited from an effective advertising campaign and from an appearance in a popular Disney movie. By the close of the decade, Volkswagen's yearly output of Beetles topped the 1 million mark.

In 1972, with more than 15 million units assembled, the Beetle topped the world production record set by Ford's Model T. Mid-decade saw the launch of a new era of Volkswagens that had front-mounted, water-cooled engines driving the front wheels. The Passat (Dasher in the U.S.) was the first of the new breed and was built using standardized components that could be used interchangeably among other models in the manufacturer's lineup. The Passat was soon joined by the Golf (Rabbit in the U.S.), which met with immediate success. By the end of the decade, the manufacturer's lineup had grown to include the Scirocco sport coupe and the performance-oriented Golf/Rabbit GTI. The Beetle, however, was discontinued for the U.S. market.

The Golf grew in popularity during the '80s, becoming Volkswagen's most popular model. When a second generation of the car was built in 1983, it was crafted in a mostly automated process using robots -- marking the first time robots had been used in vehicle manufacture. By the mid-'80s, the U.S. version traded the Rabbit name for "Golf." The higher-performance Golf GTI helped the manufacturer make waves on the rally circuit. In 1986, Volkswagen Motorsport nabbed the title of Group A World Rally Champions.

Volkswagen saw its sales in the North American market tumble during the early '90s, but by the end of the decade, refocused marketing efforts and an increased emphasis on new products had brought about a turnaround in the company's fortunes. The popular New Beetle helped put the company back on the radar in the United States (though it fared less successfully in European markets). The body style was based on the classic Beetle, and it struck a chord with consumers who still had a place in their hearts for the iconic, cheerful-looking "love bug."

The new millennium saw Volkswagen moving into the luxury segment with the launch of the pricey Phaeton sedan and Touareg SUV. Though well-designed and executed, the Phaeton was a disappointment sales-wise, perhaps signaling unwillingness on the part of consumers to shell out premium dollars for a brand that lacks the cachet of established upscale names like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Luckily, Volkswagen has seen success with other vehicles in its lineup, which currently includes everything from family-oriented sedans to roomy SUVs. Today, the automaker enjoys a reputation for crafting vehicles that offer refined handling and upscale accommodations.

User Reviews:

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  Loving it so far! - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By KayTee - May 14 - 9:53 am

  I bought my 2008 Wolfsburg during a 0% financing promotion. Out the door I paid $23,770. I have been so happy with the Jetta so far. My only complaint is the cost of oil changes! $75 for my first and $80 something for my second. Are you kidding me? Then I was told I might lose my warranty if I take it to a discount place or had a family member do it for me. The Turbo is fun to drive and the car is small and zippy.

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  Ugly is only skin deep - 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Sue - May 13 - 11:30 am

  This is our fourth VW and third diesel VW. We wanted a new Golf TDI but couldnt find one with the feathures we needed. The Jetta was bigger than we needed and we werent attracted to the New Beetle. On a whim we test drove the Beetle and we were hooked. It handles very well, is comfortable for the driver and passenger (we rarely have more than two of us), and started off getting 43 mpg. Although we bought this to commute the 1 1/2 hours to work, we find ourselves using this car for trips and general driving around. We love it.

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  $ For $ Best Wagon Out There - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By peabody - May 13 - 8:33 am

  This wagon justs keeps getting better and better every day. Mileage is up to 32 mpg on highway and getting better after 5K oil change. Get the Luxury 2 package to truly enjoy all the features. Wife loves the roominess, safety and overall luxuary feel. The 2.0 Turbo engine is amazing. Im making up reasons just to go for a drive. Dollar for dollar, the Passat out classes, out performs, and gets better mpg than anything out there. This is a sleeper that needs to be considered before spending more on Audi/BMW/Volvo, or settling for less.

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  Good value - 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Chris Ellzey - May 13 - 5:08 am

  I live in the mountains of So Cal this car pulls the mountain just fine it averages 28 mies per gallon overall.It has 29000 miles and has only seen the shop for oil changes.I am totaly satisfied with this car. This is no sports car so dont complain if you want more pay for it and quit complaining.

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  Fisrt & Last VW - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By FLA.T-REG - May 13 - 4:50 am

  My VW experience has been horrible. I have finally given up on taking it back to the dealer for warranty issues because the problems are always there after the visit. Their response when I asked if they got everything taken care of was "couldnt duplicate the problem" or "onboard computer didnt show any issues." Well, let me tell you something, Im surprised that someone hasnt been killed (maybe they have and Im not aware) due to driving these defective vehicles. Specifically, I refer to pulling / merging into traffic and having it "fall on its nose" when you try to accelerate! This is my biggest issue with the vehicle, however I have also had all the malfunctioning warning signals, etc.

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  Best Small Car - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By G. Bishop - May 12 - 7:23 am

  My search was for a reliable, fuel efficient car with a ride that didnt cause its passengers pain. I demonstrated most all the small fuel efficient cars including the hybrids. While the TDI Jetta was the last one I demonstrated, it was the best in build quility, performace and ride. It abounds with lots of standard equipment. All-around air bags, four wheel disc brakes and much more. While it is not a street racer off the line, the Jettas turbo diesel runs with the best on the expressway. Best MPG is 47, Worst MPG is 38 in the city with A/C on. Insurance costs are a lot lower than the hybrids. (a savings of $400 to $800 per year)

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  Love it but we cant afford to keep it - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By Amy - May 11 - 11:13 pm

  We bought our Passat in 04 with only 27K miles on it and its now got 93,000... virtually all highway miles, well maintained, lots of oil changes, definitely babied. We had planned to drive it until it dropped. Sadly after giving it a year ago to my daughter for college commuting weve now come to the conclusion that we simply cannot afford the repair bills. We average about $1,000 in repairs each year. Passats are great cars but too costly to keep up. Ours is now for sale

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  The new 2006 Jetta - 2006 Volkswagen Jetta
  By tkellyd - May 11 - 10:13 pm

  For starters, I managed to get the car for $22,250; I thought that is was a good price for what it is. Ive got package one with XM. Im just coming off of a 1995 Nissan Sentra with 205,000 miles, so this is a joy to drive. The handling is great, road noise is minimal, but not perfect. Sound system is great although I havent hooked up the XM radio yet. I have not encountered any of the problems that I have read about concerning the 2005 models. The only problem that I do have is the mileage. In other cars that I have driven, the mileage was consistent regardless of the AC or heat being on. The Jettas more sensitive to these mechanisms and can eat more gas than I am used to buying.

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  Jetta TDI #2 - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By VW Owner - May 11 - 7:46 pm

  First Jetta TDI 2000 model was purchased used with about 40,000 Miles. Needed and automatic with good mileage for a daily 86 mile round-trip commute. Has excellent torque and good performance in traffic. After 3 years of ownership got an average of 40+ mpg. Became interested in the improved engine on the new models after 2004 which had additional torque and horsepower and also wanted an upgrade to the GLS with leather heated seats and moon roof so purchased a 2005. I have only 3,000 miles on the car but have averaged 42 MPG or better on each tank. The performance reflects the increased torque and horsepower. Am very pleased with the car.

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  Review after 3 years of ownership - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By PowerTop - May 11 - 11:10 am

  So I thought Id share my driving experience after three years of ownership. First of all, I still love this car. The build quality is excellent and the German engineering has not disappointed. I went from a BMW Z4 and the EOS is sooo much more practical and fun to drive. The passing ability at highway speeds still amazes me. Had it in the shop twice, once for a fuel sensor and software code update that controls the transmission shifts. I have not experienced any excessive engine oil usage oil or leaks. The roof leaked water in the cabin once but found that it was due to the drainpipe getting plugged up from debris.